The present invention relates to docks and particularly lake docks.
Lake docks typically involve a plurality of spaced apart support poles holding a dock platform with an upper surface. The support poles extend from the platform down to engage the bottom of the lake. There are many different configurations of dock poles, e.g. square in cross section, round in cross section, wood poles, steel poles, etc. All of these variety of poles work adequately for their dock surface support function. However, whether the poles are wood, steel, round in cross section, square in cross section or for that matter rectangular in cross section, they all have one common problem, i.e. boats landing adjacent the dock will bang their hull against the dock poles. This can cause significant damage to the boat hull, and to the dock as well. Commonly this problem is solved by using portable boat bumpers. Boaters throw these over the side to prevent the boat from slamming into the dock. As an alternative, at least some docks have bumpers attached to the dock support poles. Either way can work satisfactorily. Having actual bumpers attached to the dock support poles is preferred since not all boats have portable boat bumpers.
As those familiar with fresh water lakes know, the lake height can vary significantly from spring to fall. For example, variances of up to three feet are not at all unusual, depending upon the particular fresh water lake involved. This creates difficulty with dock bumpers if they are installed initially at high water levels in the spring. Often by mid-summer, the bumpers are not at a level that they offer any further protection at all.
As can be seen, there is therefore a continuing need for the development of an extremely simple adjustment to allow dock bumpers to accommodate fresh water lakes at high, medium and low water levels. This invention has as its principal object, the development of a bumper system which is reversible, i.e. can simply be turned over and attached one way to accommodate high water and turned back the other way to accommodate low water.
Importantly, the system is one which uses a minimum of parts and therefore can be quickly and easily adjusted without worry of degradation from constant water exposure.
Also, designed for optional use with the system is a flag pole holder which can be used to hold a flag, if the dock owner desires. In fact, it can be used to hold the flag whether the boat bumpers are in the high water position or the reversible low water position.
A reversible boat bumper for attachment to dock poles which can be reversed from a high water position, typically in the spring of the year, to a low water position usable typically in mid-summer to late-summer. The bumper system has an elongated bumper support plate with top and bottom ends and front and rear facing surfaces. An elongated bumper cushion is attached to the front facing surface of the support plate. Opposed to this, on the back facing surface of the plate, are releasable grip dock brackets, with one attached approximately adjacent to top end of the elongated bumper support plate and the other attached approximately at mid-point along the bumper surface. Optionally, the unit can have a flag support holder attached to the adjustable brackets. The bumper or cushion is preferably polymeric plastic material and may be foamed or non-foamed plastic material, but is always compressible to absorb impact whether foamed or not foamed.